What Stars Are
by Eiji Li
Summary: AU: Maka is battling cancer, bored as life continues on seemingly without her as she fights for her life. Then, with a knock on her hospital wall, she meets Soul, a boy who can't remember anything. Can she help him remember who he is? SoMa. Lemons.
1. En Deux

**A/N: Hello :)**

** Just a quick little intro before we head into the story. This will be my first Soul Eater fanfiction, but I'm definitely not new to the whole writing fanfiction thing ^_^**

** Anyway, I hope you all enjoy~!**

** -This story will be rated M for lemons/limes/etc. (though not for a while) and some minor cursing-**

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><p><strong>What Stars Are<strong>

**1. En Deux (In Two)**

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><p>It all started with a knock.<p>

Maka Albarn was in the hospital, rendered useless and dependent on others from the result of a nasty disease that throttled her body, causing it to fight against itself, which, in return, had Maka constantly sick, throwing up, and miserable.

Her body was eating itself inside out.

Cancer was a horrible disease. And Maka knew that firsthand as she finished another round of chemo, feeling a bubble of nausea rise up her throat and spill out of her dry, cracked lips as she held the pink, plastic bucket up to her mouth, resting it underneath her chin. As she emptied out the contents in her stomach, she squeezed her eyes shut and cursed whoever, or whatever, that had given her this damn disease. This day-no, this life-couldn't get any worse as she was constantly sick, constantly battling for her life. Although, she refused to back down. Once Maka Albarn had her mind set on something, she was going to do it, even if it killed her in the end.

Then, there was another knock on the wall. Not on the door, but on the wall.

Maka frowned and sat up a bit, feeling her stomach flip at the movement, but ignored it. Surely the noise had to be from some sort of rat in the wall, stuck in the plaster or in the pipes? But, this hospital, Death City Hospital, was one of the cleanest buildings in the whole city. Maybe it was another patient, bored like she was?

Reaching over tentatively, Maka rapped her shaking knuckles against the cold wall, pausing to hear if she would get a response. After a few minutes, she sat back as she was rewarded with silence. Nothing. Exhaling in exasperation, she sat back and thumbed through the channels on the tv sitting in the top corner of the room, lonely and untouched for the most part of the day.

Then the knocking came again.

Sitting up rather quickly, Maka's eyes widened and she quietly called out, "H-Hello?" She cleared her throat free of any remaining bile, wincing at the soreness.

"...'Ello."

Brightening at the thought of having an almost-roommate, Maka sat up straighter and leaned closer to the wall to make sure that the stranger next door could hear her. He sounded male with a slight British accent that tinged his scratchy voice, as if he hadn't spoken for a while.

"I'm Maka Albarn..." she started off, staring at the wall as if it would suddenly fall and she would be able to face whoever she was talking to. "And you are?"

"...I don't know,"

Her slight smile quickly faded off of her face. "What do you mean you 'don't know'? Everyone knows their name!"

"...I can't remember my name,"

"So you have amnesia?" Maka turned her body to face the wall, cupping her chin in her hand. This was a mystery she was now determined to figure out. She didn't feel _too _bad about butting in to this random man's life, because she sat in this hospital, day by day, week by week, month by month. She wanted something to do, something to stimulate her lethargic brain.

"I guess. I hit my head and now I don't 'member anything,"

"Then what do the nurses call you? What's the name that's on your charts? Surely they have your fingerprints taken in for testing. They can find out your name that way!"

"It'll take a while for the results to come in,"

Well. By this point, Maka could sense by his words and his tone of voice that he was bored (or uncaring), a little afraid, and very cynical. She wanted to find out everything for him, to piece together every single one of the missing puzzle pieces until everything was put back in it's correct spot.

"Well, what do you want to go by while we wait for your results? I'll be here for a while and I'm sure you will be too. No use sitting in silence, right?"

The seemingly teenage boy lying on the other side of the wall didn't saying anything for a couple of tense seconds. After a pregnant pause, he spoke up again, "Yeah. I guess. You can call me Soul. Soul Eater,"

Maka smiled a bit at the sound of his voice lightening up just a tad. It made her heart warm up at the thought of her making him at least a bit happier in this dreadful place. "Soul Eater. Okay. Well, it's very nice to meet you, Soul!"

She could almost feel him smile on the other side. "It's nice to meet you too, Maka."

"Where did you come up with that name, Soul?"

Soul cleared his throat before replying, "I don't know. It was on my bracelet that I guess is mine. I don't remember ever seeing it,"

A million questions ran through Maka's mind. What happened to him? How did he end up in the hospital? Why didn't any family members call the police and ask around for him? What did he look like? How long had he been there, most likely listening to Maka puke her guts out?

How could she help him?

Daring to ask one of the questions occupying her mind, Maka twisted and tangled her fingers together as she timidly asked, "Soul?"

"Hm?"

"What...What happened that caused you to lose your memory?"

She could nearly hear him suck in a tight breath of air. She could imagine him squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head away from the wall, clenching his fists. She wondered if he was pale, or maybe tan. Did he have black hair or brown hair? Were his eyes blue or green? So many questions, yet she was too shy to ask them all. She didn't want to be rude-after all, she was already invading his space.

Finally, after what seemed like several endless minutes, Soul spoke up again. "I can't...I don't remember. I don't remember anything, Maka. I really don't. So, don't ask me anymore."

Wincing to herself, Maka internally sighed and nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see the movement. "Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot. Well, hopefully you get your memory back soon and-"

"My medicine is here. I'll talk to you later, Maka."

And with that, he never said a word. Not another sentence, greeting, goodbye, anything. His side of the wall was deathly silent, as if no one occupied it. The only way Maka was sure he was still in there was the occasional crumpling of paper as he shifted in his bed or the TV being turned up considerably loud if her side was being noisy. She tried to keep quiet, feeling like a nuisance after he had that small outburst, not speaking to her after that. She felt guilty as if she hurt his feelings-which was what she thought had happened.

She sighed as she heard him shut off his tv and quietly asked the nurse to turn off his lights. Not two seconds later and the same nurse popped by her room and smiled sweetly. "Want your lights turned off, Maka?"

Nodding, Maka sunk further into her sheets and curled up into a tight ball, wrapping her arms around her knees, feeling the thin material of the hospital gown crunch around her body, folding against her position. The room was plunged into darkness and she stared wide-eyed into the room, not able to see her hand in front of her face. Closing her eyes and momentarily pushing away the ghosts of death that seemed to linger in the hospital, she tried to sleep.

She was on the verge of sleep when all of a sudden, the knocking started up again.

"Maka?"

"Soul?"

"..."

"What is it, Soul?"

"...I can't sleep,"

Maka didn't bother to sit up this time, but rather brought the blankets up to her chin and closed her tired eyes again, letting them rest for just a moment. "And why is that?"

"...I feel bad. You know, for earlier,"

She resisted a yawn as she nodded a bit numbly, fighting to stay awake. All of the throwing up and seemingly endless bouts of chemotherapy took a toll on her body, leaving her tired and exhausted. "It's okay. I shouldn't have pried,"

"Thanks, though. For offering to help,"

"Mmm," Maka was on the verge of sleep, feeling any demons of the day slither away into their resting place, hissing at the state of dreaming that crept up into her mind. "Anytime."

A pause. She was nearly unconscious before the same voice popped up again.

"Maka?"

"Yeah?"

"...'Night,"

Soul was never given a "goodnight" back, but was rather rewarded with a slight incoherent sentence involving sleep and noisy wall-neighbors. He couldn't help but chuckle against the darkness of his room and his mind. The girl in the room next to him certainly brightened his spirits and he morbidly hoped that she was here to stay for a while, just like he was.

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><p><strong>Please reviewfavorite/add to your alerts~! It makes me feel special and cute inside~! -sparkles-**


	2. Tuez moi

**A/N: **Yo yo~!

Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews and favorites/alerts! I really appreciate them all!

Sorry this was so late! But, if I were you, I wouldn't expect quick updates, but rather, once month updates. My muse is picky and I'm struggling with some personal things, so I've been having a hard time spitting out some words, heh ^^;;

Anyway, I hope you enjoye this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater.

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><p><strong>(WarningsReasons for M-rating has changed)**

**Rated M for adult/dark themes, lemons, and minor cursing.**

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><p>2. Tuez-moi (Kill me)<p>

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><p>A week later and he is starting to make her giggle.<p>

Soul believes this is an improvement, compared to the dry, boring conversation that they used to have. But now they pass jokes back and forth, laughing like death didn't surround them everyday, that life wasn't cold and lonely being stuck in a hospital, that everything was going to be okay.

However, his identity is still a mystery.

They said they couldn't do a fingerprint scan because he had no insurance, he had no money, had nothing to his seemingly non-existant name. They couldn't do anything for him until someone, particularly a family member, proved he was a part of their family.

But, no one came to claim him.

His story was on the news, face plastered on the dull screens, showing his dull, blood-red eyes tinted with flicks of black, his tan, scarred skin, bleach white hair,and his jagged, shark-like teeth that seemed intimidating. Some bored children drew poor pictures of him and pasted them on the hospital walls, little scribbles under his face that read, "Do You Know Me?"

He decides not to dwell on it, because he knows he'll just get a headache when he tries to remember what happened - _"an accident" was all they told him_ - so he turns his attention to Maka, the nerdy bookworm in the room next to him with a dying voice, but a fighting spirit.

Soul is about to speak up before he hears a gross retching sound. He frowns and sits up a little bit, as if that would let him hear better through the thin plaster of the walls. "Maka?" he calls out nervously, worrying his bottom lip with sharp teeth.

He receives a cough plus a sound that sounds vaguely like someone spitting in return. There's a slight shifting of movement and he tries not to grimace as she hacks again into...whatever she's heaving into. Soul doesn't actually know what's wrong with Maka exactly that causes her to stay here for so long, but he has his guesses.

"Maka?" he tries again.

"S-Sorry Soul," Maka coughs and wipes her mouth clean of any remaining vomit. His voice sounds timid and unsure, not like its usual sarcastic, dry tone that it usually holds. "I'm not feeling so well."

"Did you want me to call a nurse?"

Maka shakes her head, pushing her damp bangs out of her face and off to the side, lying back in her seat and letting out a slow, easy breath of air, letting the rolls of nausea settle. Her eyes fall closed and she feels weak, but she refuses to give in. Passing out was _not_ an option. "I'm fine. Thanks though...,"

"..." Soul thinks that he should probably make her laugh, to lift her spirits, so he grins even though she can't see it, which might be a good thing. He doesn't really like his appearance - it scares him, to be honest. It's like looking at a monster in a mirror. That's not what he wants to look like to Maka, who, he thinks, probably looks as sweet as she sounds. "Maybe you're sick from all those books you read, huh bookworm?"

"If I could Maka-Chop you, I would,"

Soul paused and then looked up, "Can you walk? I mean, couldn't you just walk over here and we could actually see each other? I mean, it's kinda cool to talk through walls, but...," He scratches his snow white hair. Wait. Was it dyed or was it natural? "I would like to see who I'm talking to."

Maka crossed her arms over her chest, feeling a bit stupid that she hadn't thought of this idea before. But, she was so weak physically, it was hard to just sit up in bed. "Why don't _you_ walk over here then, if you're so interested in seeing what I look like?" Honestly, she didn't want Soul to see her. She was plain. Average. Her honey-colored hair, put up loosely in two pigtails, hung down her shoulders limply, her forest green eyes no longer shining, her face washed out and pale. She looked dead - she felt like it too.

Soul didn't answer for a little while. Maka was starting to worry, about to voice her concern, but suddenly he spoke up, his voice tense against the prolonged silence that had transcended between them.

"...Both of my legs were shattered. I can't walk right now,"

Immediately, tears flew to Maka's eyes and she covered her mouth with her hand, feeling a sharp pain in her heart. She felt terribly, using that annoyed tone of voice with him earlier. She didn't know! How many other injuries did he have?

"Soul?" She whispered, blinking back the wave of tears that threatened to fall.

"Yeah?"

"What happened to you?"

Soul shook his head, gritting his teeth. He squinted his eyes shut and looked away from the wall, clenching his fists. "Don't ask, Maka," He forced the words out from between his teeth, "I don't know and I doubt I'll ever know."

"You won't ever know if you don't think positi-,"

"Don't give me that bullshit!" He sat up too quickly and immediately groaned, feeling a sharp pain wrack his body, the large scar sewn up with stitches that crossed from his left shoulder to his right hip pulsing with torturing pain. He resisted a small scream, checking the inside of his shirt for any blood. He panted a little, feeling his body break out into a cold sweat from the sudden invasion of pain. "I don't believe in those kind of sayings."

Maka frowned, hearing a flurry of movements from his side of the wall. He seemed to be in pain. Possibly from his broken legs? Either way, she wanted to help him. Sitting up, Maka nearly gasped as a strong roll of nausea bubbled up in her throat, forcing her to swallow it back down. Taking a few deep breaths, she stood up from her bed side, grabbing her IV pole to bring along with her - mostly for support. She could hardly stand, but she was going to make it to his room no matter what.

Inching her way to the door, she opened it quietly, praying that it wouldn't squeak like most of the doors in the hospital did, letting out a small exhale of relief when it stayed silent. Making sure she didn't spot any nurses, especially Nurse Nigus or Nurse Marie since they were the toughest about the regime, she tiptoed out, her IV stand rolling softly behind her.

Knocking on the door to Soul's room, she whisper-called, "Soul?"

"Come in,"

Hopefully he wouldn't mind seeing a walking dead girl while she didn't mind looking at a boy tortured by the missing facts of his life.

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><p><strong>Please reviewalert/favorite~! They make me feel all cute and sparkly inside~!**


	3. Au secours, je suis vivant

**A/N: **Wow, I wrote this a year ago? I guess you guys deserve a bigger (and better) update than this :P I apologize greatly.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Soul Eater

**Warnings**: Rated M (cursing, lemons, dark themes)

Au secours, je suis vivant (Help, I'm alive)

Maka didn't fit her voice.

Soul was expecting someone a lot younger. Her voice was childish and bright, despite her dangerous illness. His blood-red eyes softened when he saw her struggling to make her way towards him. Her feet shuffled almost silently across the floor, her IV clattering noisily behind her.

"Soul," She breathed, smiling when she saw him. He almost wondered what she thought. She may have already seen him on TV, but in person he was still pretty intimidating. "Are you okay?"

He swallowed back the sudden lump in his throat. Her dirty bonde pigtails were put up with red ribbons and her nightgown hung loose at her sides. She had a thin form, no doubt a side-effect of her disease. She was...cute.

"I'm fine," A small smile found its way onto his lips, "You should be in bed resting." He struggled to sit up, biting down a gasp as pain shot up his frame. Maka's eyes widened, too experienced in hiding pain, and tried to hurry as she sat next to him. She brought a shaky hand up to his face.

"May I?"

Soul nodded, confused as to what she was planning on doing. His breath hitched as she brought up a small, dainty hand and pushed some hair from his face. She reached into the pocket of her hospital gown and pulled out a headband. "Here," She whispered, reaching up and placing it in his hair. "This will keep the hair out of your face." A light blush dusted her cheeks and she glanced away.

He grinned and reached up, gently ruffling her hair, ignoring her attempts to swat him away. "Is that the first thing you noticed about me? My messy hair?"

Maka's blush deepened and she shook her head. "N-No! Of course not! I just thought it could get bothersome!"

"Do you always carry around a headband?" He watched her as she became more and more flustered.

"N-No! I just saw some of your pictures and figured your hair was probably bothering you!"

Soul smiled. "How thoughtful,"

Maka thought Soul was particularly handsome.

His hair was a disheveled mess, but its snow white colour intrigued her. His red irises startled her for a moment, but she quickly got used to it as she sat up close, her hands brushing against his soft, messy locks.

He spoke with such ease, she was nearly jealous. His British accent hung at the edges of his words and she found it to be attractive. She could've sat there and listened to him speak all day. Or imagine if he read her favorite books out loud—that would be Heaven.

She took a deep breath as a small pregnant paused bloomed between them. She wasn't here to just enjoy some fancy eye-candy. No, she was here because she heard the pain that laced itself into his words and movements. She could notice when the corner's of his eyes would cringe as another flare of pain shot up his body.

"Let me help you," She murmured, holding out her hand for him to take. "Let someone take care of you while you're here. It's okay to accept someone caring about you."

He looked away. Had she been listening to his fights with the nurses? _"I don't need no damn medication, you lazy bat!" _"...What can you do?" He hadn't meant for it to sound mean, but he couldn't ignore the flinch that crossed her tiny features. "I didn't mean for it to sound like that, I apologize."

His mannerisms, she thought, were sweet. He was polite, well-mannered. As if he had come from a prestigious background. "I can't do anything like a doctor," She raised a single pointer finger and traced the bruise on his face. She smiled brightly. "But, I can be here for moral support."

He couldn't help but smile back. "I can always be there for you, too,"

"I mean," she stuttered, eyes widening when she realized how close they had become. She pulled back and quickly sat on her hands, face bright red. "I know we've only known each other for a little while, but I would still like to help you!" She looked up at him through her long eyelashes, "Because...I think of Soul as a friend!"

That took him by surprise. His heart seemed to skip a beat and the monitor next to him seemed to agree as it beeped noisily at him. "I-I..." Shoulders drooping into a more relaxed position, he nearly glowed with the prospect of having a friend. He didn't remember any of his from before the accident, but they couldn't have been very good friends if they didn't show up to help with his identity. "I would like that very much."

Maka beamed and held out her hand once more. "Do you trust me?"

In this world of uncertainty and unknown depths of darkness, he needed someone to lean on. He needed someone to trust and to hang on to when he broke down at night, more alone and afraid than he had ever been in his life. He took her hand and entwined their fingers together—smooth against calloused. "Yes," His face brightened, "As long as you can trust me too. I can't do much to help in this condition, but," He shrugged and grinned, "I'll always come to help if you need me."

"What about after one of us is discharged?" Maka lowered her hand and her bangs fell in front of her eyes. "Can we still be friends?"

"We'll just promise to keep visiting each other," Soul said. "Just because one of us gets better doesn't mean we can leave the other hanging, right?"

Maka nodded. She was about to reply when she heard footsteps from down the hall. "Crap!" She struggled to get up and leaned on her IV pole for support. Just as she reached the door, slowly and painfully, she turned back and threw a smile over her shoulder. "Thanks for letting me visit, Soul. I hope you feel better!"

He raised a hand and settled back into his sheets. A few silent moments later, a nurse came in to check his wounds and give him more painkillers. He dozed to sleep quickly, tranquility soothing his broken body.

That smile relieved him of his nightmares that night.

**Please review/alert/favourite! They make me feel all sparkly and happy inside~! C:**


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